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Tuesday, May 10, 2016

The Science & Research Behind HIV and DNA Testing

In 2016, ABC published
an article featuring how DNA testing plays an integral role not only in
the lives of people, but also in the area of scientific study.

Researchers from the University of Nebraska and University of California-San Diego began conducting HIV
[Human Immunodeficiency Virus] studies to determine if there is a
relation between aging and HIV by looking at human biomarkers.

Researchers tested people with and without HIV. New treatments
available for HIV often cause the disease to become more chronic than
deadly, and the universities wanted to know if HIV caused long term
damage within the human body.

This required DNA Testing.

DNA, or Deoxyribonucleic acid, by definition, is a molecule that
carries most of the genetic instructions used in the growth,
development, functioning and reproduction of all known living organisms
and various viruses. It is a unique genetic code. Genes are small
sections of DNA within the genome coded for proteins. They contain the
instructions for our individual characteristics like eye and hair
color.

The initial purpose behind the scientific research carried out was to
attempt to understand long-term effects of HIV infection and aging. By
studying 137 people with HIV and 44 people without HIV, the researchers
were able to test a varied group of individuals.

One of the physicians involved in the research, Dr. Fox, stated that
the study started due to doctors seeing older HIV patients at risk with
conditions completely unrelated to HIV.

In addition to the long-term
effects of anti-retro viral therapy, normal aging was detrimental as
well to one diagnosed with HIV.

This study is crucial because it proves that people affected with HIV
need a stricter healthcare regimen earlier in the normal aging process
than those not affected by HIV. This way doctors can provide a
successful preventative healthcare plan in order to combat both HIV and
aging.

The conclusion of this study was that the immune system is at higher
risk due to always being alert safeguarding the body from harm. The
system eventually becomes tired after chronic activation because cells
divide more rapidly in an unhealthy individual. Each year of aging
heightens the risk of death and this study found that those infected
with HIV have a 19% increase in that risk compared to their non-infected
peers.In conclusion, DNA Testing is necessary, in ways often at first
unfathomable, in every facet of life. This university study proves not
only the importance of DNA testing but also how this specific example
will serve to lengthen the lifespan of others.

If DNA testing were not readily available, in this instance, the lives of those affected by HIV would be at earlier risk.